Metro West
Arts & Lifestyle

CD reviews: Prince;
Thursday, April 29, 2004

Shoghaken Ensemble: “Traditional Dances of Armenia” (Traditional Crossroads)
Hasmik Harutyunyan with the Shoghaken Ensemble: “Armenian Lullabies”
(Traditional Crossroads)

Drawing on the musical traditions of the Middle East, Europe and Asia,
Armenian music is at once seductively familiar and thrillingly exotic. On
“Traditional Dances of Armenia,” the Shoghaken Ensemble does more than
preserve fading rural artifacts — the band gives them eternal life though
interpretations that are stunning in their drive, beauty and mystery. While
there’s no denying the marvelous voice of the great Armenian folk singer
Hasmik Harutyunyan, the stark “Armenian Lullabies” does its work a bit too
well. Better to start with the fully caffeinated “Traditional Dances.”

— KEVIN R. CONVEY

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 1) 517 163
Fax: (374 1) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
April 30, 2004

Newest Priest and Member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin

On April 24 and 25, Deacon Aren Jebejian was ordained and consecrated a
celibate priest in Saint Vartan Armenian Cathedral of New York by His
Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern).

On Tuesday, April 27, Rev. Father Aren Jebejian arrived in the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin to receive his cowl (veghar) and begin his forty days of
seclusion in preparation for the celebration of his first Divine Liturgy.
During Evening Services, His Grace Bishop Navasard Kjoyan, Vicar of the
Araratian Pontifical Diocese, presided during Father Aren’s recitation of
his oath to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, the teachings, canons and
traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, and to remain a loyal and
devoted servant of the Catholicosate of All Armenians and the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin. In reciting and signing this oath before the Main Altar
of the Mother Cathedral of All Armenians, Father Aren became the newest
member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Bishop Navasard then offered the service of “Granting of the Cowl”, whereby
Father Aren became the newest “abegha” (monk) of the Armenian Church. The
cowl is the black hood worn by celibate priests in the Armenian Church,
signifying their renunciation of the secular world and its pleasures, and as
a visible symbol of their devotion to service and sacrifice.

With the addition of Father Aren, the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin
currently consists of 49 bishops, 83 celibate priests (archimandrites and
monks) and 54 deacons who bring their spiritual service to the Dioceses of
the Armenian Church dispersed throughout the world. Following the
celebration of his first Divine Liturgy, Rev. Father Aren Jebejian will
return to the Eastern Diocese to continue his service to the faithful of the
United States.

##

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1 Plus | 14:34:56 | 30-04-2004 | Politics |

APRIL 13 WILL INFLUENCE NEGATIVELY ON ALL OF US

“It was very bad”, Movses Shahverdyan, Chair of Labor Socialistic
Party of Armenia, labeled the events of April 13 on Baghramyan Avenue
this way at a press conference.

According to him, any attempt of violence towards people has
pernicious impact on everybody. “I don’t think the situation was too
objectionable to resort to that action”.

Mr. Shahverdyan didn’t want to say whether Authorities or Opposition
are mostly to blame for it.

LSPA Chair thinks that meetings must be held not only for power change
but also for solution to nationwide problems like social, ecological
etc. “Minority of people believes that something will change if the
President changes. Besides, power must be changed through elections”.

Shahverdyan says a new power is needed and moral people must be
engaged in politics.

He assures his party has its ideas and purposes.

A1 Plus | 14:59:34 | 30-04-2004 | Social |

4 HOURS INSTEAD OF 24

Armenian Commission on Coordinating Public Services has today held a
sitting. The least demands for quality of drinking water supply
introduced by “Water and Sewerage” CJSC were approved.

Under the passed water supply schedule, the consumers are to be
provided with 4-hour-long water supply daily. Company is obliged to
cause people to be informed beforehand by Media or other means about
the time for water supply.

Armenian TV buyer denies front man charges

Arminfo
28 Apr 04

YEREVAN

In an interview with an Arminfo correspondent, the new owner of the
Armenian TV company Kentron (Centre), prominent businessman and MP of
parliament, Murad Guloyan, denied rumours that the true owner of the
controlling block of shares in the company is the chairman of the
Multi-group concern and oligarch, Gagik Tsarukyan.

Murad Guloyan stressed that he owns 100 per cent shares in the
company. “I have bought the shares in Kentron TV with my own money and
reports that I bought the company with Gagik Tsarukyan’s money do not
correspond to reality,” the MP said.

Murad Guloyan is confident that in the near future he will make huge
profit from the investment in the TV business. To recap, Murad Guloyan
bought the shares in Kentron TV from the head of the Ars-oil company,
businessman and MP of the Armenian National Assembly, Gurgen Arsenyan.

Armenian foreign minister says Warsaw talks “productive”, next one on 12 May

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
30 Apr 04

The meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents [Robert
Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev] in Warsaw will give a boost to future
negotiations, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has said. The
Armenian foreign minister said that the second meeting between the two
presidents was more productive than the first one which was for
familiarization purposes.

The second meeting was more productive because the presidents could
talk about a settlement of the conflict. Oskanyan said that the
presidents themselves were positive about the meeting and noted their
intention to continue to hold meetings.

Vardan Oskanyan also said that the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers will have their next meeting in Strasbourg on 12-13 May. We
shall continue with the talks which started in Prague.

Vardan Oskanyan said that the recent meeting between the presidents
and their instructions to the foreign ministers will give a new
impetus to the process.

OSCE expresses “deep” concern about lack of progress in Armenia

Mediamax news agency
30 Apr 04

YEREVAN

The OSCE office in Yerevan has expressed “deep concern” about an
increase in the number of violent incidents, “an alarming lack of
progress” in the punishment of those guilty and an atmosphere of
intolerance in Armenian society, the head of the OSCE office and
ambassador, Vladimir Pryakhin, has said in a letter to Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.

Vladimir Pryakhin recalled that a deputy of the Armenian parliament,
Viktor Dallakyan, was attacked on 23 March and the chairman of the
Helsinki association and human rights activist, Mikael Danielyan, was
beaten up on 30 March and well-known politician Ashot Manucharyan on
22 April.

Pryakhin expressed regret about a lack of progress in the
investigation of these incidents and of the attacks on journalists
during the rallies on 5 and 13 April

Black Sea organization diplomats meet in Azeri capital

ANS Radio, Baku
30 Apr 04

A meeting of the council of foreign ministers of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation Organization opened in Baku today. The meeting is
chaired by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. The meeting
is discussing cooperation in various fields among the organization’s
member states. Georgia is represented by its foreign minister and
other countries are represented by deputy foreign ministers at the
meeting.

The Armenian foreign minister was officially invited to the meeting,
but he did not come to Baku.

Azeri leader favours step-by-step solution to Karabakh

Media-Press news agency
30 Apr 04

BAKU

Azerbaijan will never accept the loss of Armenian-occupied Nagornyy
Karabakh, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said addressing the
spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
[PACE] in Strasbourg. The president said that apart from Nagornyy
Karabakh, which “was and remains a constituent part of Azerbaijan”,
Armenia had also occupied some other Azerbaijani districts. He said he
favoured the step-by-step settlement of the conflict with Armenia. The
first step in this settlement could be “the withdrawal of Armenian
troops from seven occupied districts of Azerbaijan” which is not part
of Nagornyy Karabakh, he said.

Aliyev said that such an initiative could be a vital step towards the
building of confidence. This idea has already been discussed at the
European Parliament and other European institutions and has received
their approval, he said.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

Touching on the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group to settle the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict at a press conference after his speech at
the PACE session, Aliyev stressed that Russia, the USA and France,
being the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group, ought to play “their
specific role”. “We hope that they will all step up their efforts in
this direction,” he said.

Russia plays a particular role in the Minsk Group, Aliyev said, adding
that this was not only because of its geographical position. Russia
maintains good relations both with Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Moscow
is proficient in mediating conflicts.

[Passage omitted: PACE drafting report on Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict]

Sweet science pays off for Harrison

The Scotsman – United Kingdom
Apr 30, 2004

Stephen Halliday

IT HAS long been known as the sweet science, although AJ Liebling
certainly did not have jelly babies or laboratories on his mind when
he gave boxing its memorable moniker several decades ago.

For WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison, however, the phrase has
taken on a whole new meaning since he turned to sports scientist Dr
Niall Macfarlane for assistance in the wake of July’s numbing and
unexpected loss of his title to Manuel Medina.

The University of Glasgow lecturer has since become a crucial part of
Team Harrison, helping the 26-year-old Scot regain his belt and adding
a whole new dimension to his already unforgiving training
regime. William Abelyan, the US-based Armenian No 1 contender for
Harrison’s title, will be the next to face the revitalised champion
when the pair clash at the Braehead Arena on 29 May.

More of the aforementioned jelly babies later, but Harrison’s father
and trainer Peter first explained yesterday the circumstances which
lead him to seek scientific help for his son.

“After the first Medina fight, I wanted to make sure nothing like that
happened to Scott in the future,” he said. “We wanted to optimise his
condition and try and take every safeguard against the illness which
affected him against Medina.

“I was told Glasgow University was the place to go. When I first
contacted Niall, he advised me to do it through Sportscotland, but
they told me it wasn’t part of their remit to work with professional
boxers. I went back to Niall who then agreed to work with us.

“It’s been tremendous, being able to use all the technology they have
at the university. From Scott’s viewpoint, though, the best thing has
been the nutritional advice. He can have Frosties for breakfast now
instead of plain cornflakes and he’s also allowed to snack on jelly
babies, wine gums or raisins after training sessions to keep his
carbohyrdate levels up.

“Scott has always been fit, but now we are training him more
thoroughly than ever before.”

According to Dr Macfarlane, Harrison is as well conditioned as any
physical specimen who has passed through his science and medicine
department at the university. “We have had Ethiopian distance runners
here,” said Macfarlane, “and I’d say the best comparison I can make
for Scott is with them. His endurance levels and aerobic performance
are tremendous. He could easily be a 10,000 metre runner and if he
was, he would probably be Olympic finalist standard.

“When Peter came to me, he wanted to make sure they were never
blind-sided again by the kind of illness which caused the loss to
Medina first time around. Our technology, allied to his natural
fitness and dedication, has hopefully helped.”

The champion himself is delighted with the results of his work with Dr
Macfarlane and ready to step up another level against Abelyan in four
weeks time. “I feel there has been a 20 per cent improvement in me
since I started working with Niall,” he said. “I have no problems
making the weight now, I can throw more punches than ever in a round
and I’m faster than I was before. You’ll see an even better Scott
Harrison against Abelyan next month.”